


as long as we keep the ball connected

by bokutoma



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Friends, Haikyuu!! Fusion, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28322916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bokutoma/pseuds/bokutoma
Summary: the faerghus lions have come this far; they have no plans to give up any time soon
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	as long as we keep the ball connected

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rozaria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rozaria/gifts).



> a belated christmas fic for lauren! i fucking love u wtf
> 
> once again i have written a one-off that i would have a good time writing a full-length fic of. so. you know the drill. let me know if you would read it
> 
> i didnt edit this my bad

The problem with having a lion as their mascot, Sylvain thinks, is that the average person fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the animal. Contrary to the image of a fierce beast stalking its prey until it pounces in a flurry of teeth and claws, the lion is a mighty beast that spends over two-thirds of its day asleep.

 _Lazy,_ Ingrid, their manager, would say, but Sylvain thinks it's calculated.

It’s not for nothing that the Holy Cichol Preparatory School for Bright Minds’ team - better known simply as the Faerghus Lions - is composed of apex predators in their own right. Back when Annette went through her biology phase, Sylvain had learned about the existence of keystone species, animals that had an outsized effect on their environment.

The Lions are keystone _predators;_ their wins and their few losses define their whole district. Naturally, that means that they'd dominated the district and region tournament and are now cruising on their way toward nationals.

If pressed, Sylvain might admit that there are some things to enjoy about the step up. Competition, in small doses, fuels him, and there is no better source for it than among their fiercest rivals.

The Brother Indech Abbey School houses the Leicester Deer, as unpredictable and diverse as any team could hope to be and doubly as crafty, is possibly Sylvain's favorite on and off the court. Dimitri would agree, if the flush that overtakes his face every time the two captains meet is anything to go by. Khalid von Riegan is a strategist that stands on equal footing with both the Lions' setter and other outside hitter, and that makes him dangerous - and damned fun to play.

St. Macuil's Academy for Young Intellect plays host to the Adrestia Eagles, their playstyle a relentless attack to counter Faerghus's impeccable defense. The Eagles' manager is Dimitri's stepsister, though they rarely meet for anything other than holidays. They're brutal, efficient, and oftentimes are accused of foul play, though that's never been proven. Frankly, Sylvain doubts they're capable of it; the pride that shone in Edelgard's eyes when they took home the tournament last year allowed for nothing but true victory.

That being said, nationals is still a fair way away, and there's nothing that will prepare them better than a good old guerilla training session. Last year's coach had disappeared under questionable circumstances, and frankly, Sylvain is grateful for the new instruction; Jeralt had raised their setter, after all, and his prowess has been undeniable this season. Even Felix has been receptive, and as fond as Sylvain is of him, he can never be said to be agreeable.

They've been going at it for at least an hour now - Jeralt has covered the clocks - Sylvain, Felix, and Dedue, their opposite hitter, playing defense against Dimitri, Yuri, and Ashe as Byleth sets for them. Sylvain is the king of blocking, being their more defensively-minded middle blocker, and Dedue has an uncanny knack for drawing enough attention that the ball ends up coming to him more often than not. 

Still, when it comes to getting the ball, it's Felix who's put them ahead in points, especially when it's Dimitri trying to score. Flexible in a thousand different ways no person should be and more stubborn than a mule, it's rare that he can't pick something up as long as it's in his zone. On this team, it's only Yuri that can reliably sneak past his defenses, and even then, Felix comes alive with the challenge. 

"Alright, that's enough." Jeralt's voice carries for a man who so rarely raises it, and Sylvain shakes out the tension in his calves with a grateful sigh. "Go get showered, and I'll see you tomorrow. We have a practice match against the Seiros Dragons, so let's get plenty of rest. Yes, even you, Fraldarius."

Felix grumbles loudly as they all amble toward the showers, but Sylvain knows he'll listen this time, if only because the Dragons' wing spikers are beasts, and he takes great pleasure in wrestling whatever points he can away from them.

"How are we feeling about nationals?" Sylvain asks, slinging an arm around Felix's shoulder. He tries not to be offended when Felix immediately shrugs it off; he's mostly successful, considering his years of practice. "I know you were pissed when that Caspar guy got one on you last year."

"It won't happen again," Felix snarls, and Sylvain refrains from pointing out that Caspar will definitely score at least one point. That's just probability. "Just shut up and shower before the captain tries to drag us along to some asinine bonding activity."

In the end, Dimitri tries, and it's only through Sylvain's quick invention of some bullshit friend-iversary that they manage to duck out of it. Instead of paintball or rock climbing or whatever Dimitri has found a Groupon for, they sit across from each other in a classic diner that's older than the hills, Sylvain with a milkshake, Felix with two burgers and a hefty basket of fries.

"I don't understand how you can eat all of that." The strawberry milkshake tastes good, certainly, but even that is almost too heavy for Sylvain. He'll be hungry later, he knows, but Felix is like a garbage disposal with the way he eats. 

"And I don't understand why you _don't_ eat." Even knowing that Sylvain won't steal his food, Felix keeps an arm curled protectively around his fries, and it's this that makes him steal one quicker than Felix can block him. "Asshole."

"There's food in the fridge at home. I'm too sweaty to eat."

Felix looks at him blankly, and Sylvain knows he's lost him.

"Anyway, you played well today. I don't think Dimitri got a single point off of you."

"Wish I could say the same for you." Felix is back to pouting over his missing fry, but the look he cuts him is still brutal in his endearing way. "I can practically hear you thinking every time Yuri was up, and even then you still missed half of their spikes."

"I didn't see _you_ getting them all either, dude."

And Felix throws a fry that Sylvain catches in his mouth - the scene is as familiar as breathing, and a flush of pride blooms in his chest that he can still maintain this after so many years.

They pay the bill and start the walk home. They've been neighbors since birth, but in recent years, Felix has been more and more reluctant to spend this time together, fractious as their early teens had been. Still, it's Sylvain's senior year, and Felix is by no means immune to sentiment, something Sylvain remains grateful for.

“We’re going to nationals this year,” Felix says abruptly. Sylvain had just resigned himself to Felix’s special brand of silence, and when his gaze slides over, his heart clenches at the sight of the smear of ketchup at the corner of his lips. “You know that, right?”

”We’ll definitely do our best.” Of course, he wants to believe that this will be the case, but Sylvain isn’t the only senior who wants this so badly he can scarcely breathe.

Felix stops, and on instinct, Sylvain does as well; when Felix grabs his hand, Sylvain’s heart stutters one more time, far more exhilarating than even his best block. “No, idiot. I said we’re going to _win.”_

”Felix-“

”We’re bringing home that stupid fucking trophy, and that’s the end of it.”

Sylvain doesn’t quite believe him - can’t, considering the man he is becoming - but he believes Felix will move heaven and earth to pave the way, will keep the ball in play until his legs give out from underneath him.

Even if that doesn’t win them nationals, it will be enough for Sylvain.

For now, though, he is biding his time, a lion to the last; if they win nationals, what else might he do?

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: @kingblaiddyd


End file.
